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first project

Started by gomez99, February 02, 2025, 02:40:52 PM

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gomez99


Hello

I'm from Romania and follow you for some time. I am posting to ask for a suggestion for a project I'd like to start in the spring. I don't have a workshop, so everything happens in the yard, of course, in nice weather.

I intend to make a secretary desk somewhat similar to the one in the attached picture, maybe more to the cherry side, and install a PC inside. That is, to disassemble the computer from its case and reinstall its boards there. The screen will be mounted on the lid and will only be visible when the lid is lifted. The rest of space will be for accessories. I think of a color close to that in the picture, I don't want black or white, but I am open to suggestions.
 
I've been flirting with a steampunk approach to this piece of furniture for some time, and being a newbie [novitiate?  :D  ], I will appreciate the opinions of those who have delved into the field. I am not looking for something "very steampunk", because I don't have anything in my room [yet] that comes close to the genre, but I hope to add a some items in the future. Therefore, I'd like to go with a slightly "softer" approach, which could be upgraded over time or which could make the transition to other, more complex and steampunk oriented, pieces.
English is not my native language, so please be patient with me if I will need some time until I understand everything
.



von Corax

Hello, gomez99, and welcome to Brass Goggles!

If I understand you correctly, you are asking for advice on making this project Steampunk? In my opinion what you have in mind is already very Steampunk. You only need attend to the details, such as a nice wood bezel around the monitor, and (if you're very ambitious) an appropriate keyboard and mouse. There have been a number of Steampunk PC projects over the years, and a few of the threads might still have images. (We don't host the images ourselves, and numerous third-party image hosting services have, over time, ceased to exist.)

My own advice, such as it is, would be to pay close attention to cooling, in particular for both the motherboard and the hard drives or SSDs.

We look forward to seeing this project unfold.
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J. Wilhelm

#2
Welcome to the forum, Gomez!  Just a question: have you given a thought about what type of system you're going to install?

I've made a number of Steampunk computer systems, including two tower style l PCs (both micro-ATX format, AMD Athlon 64, one in the shape of an old early 1900s telephone, and one which I currently use with Linux in the shape of a clock). I also made a laptop "mod" for Sony America around 2011, and my latest is an HTPC in the shape of a boombox with a small Windows 10 Pro "PC Stick" and a 7" LCD display. All of these had very different requirements, relative to how you fit them into the "furniture" piece.

As von Corax said, ventilation will be very important, and which type of system you use will determine the type of ventilation you need to implement.

As far as the style, like von Corax said, you're off to a good start.  I find Steampunk is far more believable if it's unassuming (not pretentious).  We have a saying: Don't put a cog on it and call it Steampunk.". Too many non functional gadgets glued on it don't really make it Steampunk.

If people would have had computers in the 19th century, for sure they'd look like furniture!